Method of ornamenting candles



(No Model.) 7

T. V. PORSTER. METHOD OF ORNAMENTING CANDLES. No. 471,499.

Patented Mar. 22, 1892.

I I I WITNESSES:

rue mama va-r'ms co, wonvunqq, vusumumu, o, c.

lJNiTnD STATES P TENT OFFICE.

THOMAS V. FORSTER, OF AVALON, ASSIGNOR TO W. & H. \VALKER, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

METHOD OF ORNAMENTING CANDLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 471,499, dated March 22, 1892.

Application filed October 30, 1821. Serial No. 410,356. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS V. Fonsrrnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Avalon, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered a certain new and useful Improvementin the Method of Ornamenting or Marking Candles and other Articles, of which improvement the following is a specification.

The invention described herein relates to certain improvements in marking or ornamenting candles or other articles.

It has heretofore been customary in marking or ornamenting candles, &c to color the material of which the candle, &c., is to be formed and then employ different-colored materials in the formation of the candle. This method of ornamenting candles is objectionable on account of the limited number of designs which could be formed in this manner, and also on account of the labor and expense involved. Ithas also been attempted to form the designs with ink or paints applied to the'surface of the candle, 850.; but such attempts have been unsuccessful, as the oily surface prevents the adherenceof the ink or paint thereto. Candles have also been marked or ornamented by cutting or otherwise forming recesses or depressions in the candle and then filling such recesses or depressions with a colored wax or other suitable material. This method is also objectionable on account of the labor and expense and also as it is exceedingly difiicnlt to obtain in such manner a clear sharp design.

The object of this invention is to effect a commingling of any suitable colored material with the material of the candle or other article at or alongcertain predetermined lines,points, &c.,the material of the candle being softened or liquefied along or at such lines, points, &c., and the coloring material mixed therewith, so that when the material of the candle becomes hard the coloring is so incorporated therewith as to be incapable of being removed without cutting away a portion of the cendle, &c.

The invention will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure l is a sectional elevation of a form of machine adapted for the practice of my invention in marking candles. Fig. 2 is a plan view of thesame, and Fig. 3 is a view of a marked or ornamented candle.

In the practice of my invention in connection with the apparatus shown in the drawings the candles are placed by an attendant upon the inclined bed 1 and roll down the same until arrested by guide-bars 2 and the spring 3, which are designed to adjust the candles longitudinally into proper position for marking. The guide-bar and spring stop the candle, so that it may be caught by the reciprocating bed 4 and rolled along the bed and over the heated type 5. The bed 4 is provided with a post or standard 6, projecting up through a cross-head 7, having its ends mounted in suitable guideways in the side pieces of the machine and connected by pitman 8 to a crank-pin on the wheels 9 on the power-shaft 10.

On the upper end of the post or standard 6, which is free to move up and down in the cross-head, is secured a cross-bar 11, whose ends rest upon the side pieces of the machine. As the cross-head moves to the right, in Figs.

1 and 2, and with it the bed 4 and cross-bar 11, the ends of the latter ride upon the springplates 12, thereby raising the bed 4 above the bed 1 a distance greater than the diameter of drop upon the candle, the post 6 being made of such a length relative to the height of the side pieces of the bed 1 that the entire Weight of the bed 4: Wll1 be upon the candle as the bed 4 moves to the left. As the cross-bar 11 moves to the left, it passes under the left-hand ends of the spring-plates 12, which are lifted thereby, and after the passage of the crossbar resume their normal position, so as again to be capable of raising the cross-bar when it is shifted to the right. As the bed is shifted to the left, it rolls the candle along the bed 1 and over the type or die 5, having the reverse Ioo A of the mark or ornamentation which isto be that the candle should remain in contact"wi-th applied to the candle.

The type or die is treated in any suitable manner-as, for example, by arranging it over or on a hollow block orshell 14, through which steam or other hot fluid is caused to circulate. The type or die should be made sufficiently hot to quickly melt or soften so muchor such portions of the candle as come in contact with the raised parts of the type or die, as the candle is rolled with comparative rapidity" over the type or die. It is desirable in order to obtain a sharp clear mark or ornamentation the type or die for a short time only,so"asto prevent any undue spreading or extension of the softening or melting action of-the type or die.

I haveascertainedbyexperiment that the Stea'ric "acid in the candle will immediately act upon the type or die when for-med ofbrass, copper, or other analogous metal or alloy, producing a compound which'is absorbed by the softene'd'or'liquefiedportions of the candle. The compoundthus ,produced and absorbed oreomloined with the "material of the candle. will produce a discoloration or stain, whose; character'i.' e.,colorwill be dependent upon; the character of metal-used in the type or die. As the softenin'gjor liquefaction is of a very. limited area and depth, the softened portions.- of' the candlewill ha'rden almost immediately after removal from the type or die. I I I I Inlieu of dependinguponthe' discoloration-1 due'tothe actionof the stearic acid upontheI metal of the 'type or-jdie a "suitably-colored ink or oth er material may' be applied to the; heated die or type. A means for applying" the ink is shown in the drawings and consists of a roller 15,mounted in aframe 16, which isconnected by hinged arms l'7 to the cross-head 7, so as topermit of theframe and; roller rising and falling, as hereinafter de-I scribed. While -the "cross-head 7 is at the;- left hand limit of -its xino'vement, the roller rests upon the inking-table 18 and rolls along.

said table as the cross-head moves to'the right until nearlyoverthe type or die 5,-when. the roller and 1 frame "are raised slightly from; thetableby rods 19 on the frame, engaging the cam-plates 20 on the side pieces of the machine. As the cross-head continues its movement to the right, the cam-plates permit the roller to descend and roll over the type or die. On the return movement of the cross-head the cam-plates raise the roller and permit it to drop onto the inking-table. The ink thus ap- -Z-plied to thetype or die mingles with the material of the candle when softened or melted by the heat of the type or die.

While I deem it preferable to soften or liquefy the material of the candle or other articles by means of heated types or dies for the purpose of incorporating the coloringmatter'therewith, other means known in the art for efiecting such purpose may be employed. I

Noclaim is madeherein for the apparatus shown and described, as the same is nopart of this in-vention,-nor doTwish to be understood as limiting myself to the use of such apparatus in the practice of my invention.

'l claim herein-as my invention- 1. As an improvement in the art of marking or ornamenting candles and other articles, the herein-describedmethod, which con- "sists in softening orliquefying the material 0f the candle orother articleat; over,or along certain predetermined lines, points, o r'sur- *faces,'mingling-acoloring-matter with the softened or liquefied material, and then allowing the softened or liquefied portions to f harden, substantially as set forth.

2. As an improvement in the art of mark- =ingor ornamenting candles and other articles, the herein-described method, which consists in 'appl-yinga suitable coloring-matter to a heated typeor-die having the desired mark; or ornament formed thereon, and then press- =ing such type or die against acandle or other article, whereby the materialof the candle or other article is softened or liquefied andthe cploring-matter incorporated therein, substantially as set forth, I V

In testimony whereof 'I have hereunto set my hand. I I I I THOMAS V. FORSTER.

Witnesses:

W.B. OoRWIN,

DARWIN S. WOLCOTT. 

